Anti-Climbing Flexible Panel on an Article of Child Clothing

ABSTRACT

An anti-climbing flexible panel attached to an article of clothing made for a child. The flexible panel, which is incorporated into the article of clothing, aids in preventing a child from climbing over the railing of a crib, playpen, or child gate. The article of clothing includes two legs. The article of clothing includes a flexible panel attached at the crotch and between the legs of the article of clothing. The flexible panel is positioned and sized such that the child has nearly full mobility during normal activity without detaching the flexible panel. In other embodiments the flexible panel may be detachably fastened to the article of clothing. Other embodiments include a flexible panel attached between the arm and the body on each side of an article of clothing which deters a child from reaching to access high places.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of provisional patent applicationSer. No. 61/240,550, filed Sep. 8, 2009, by the present inventor, whichis incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND Discussion of Prior Art

The following is a tabulation of prior art that presently appearsrelevant:

U.S. Patents

Patent Number Kind Code Issue Date Patentee

U.S. Pat. No. 6,651,258 B2 Nov. 25, 2003 Pelensky

Cribs, playpens, and child gates are intended to confine and restrictchildren to a specific relatively safe area, preventing children fromgetting into dangerous situations. Cribs, playpens, and child gatesprovide significant utility to parents. Parents use these and similardevices to restrain children from dangerous situations. Cribs, playpensand child gates provide parents with peace of mind achieved by knowingthat their children are in a safe or less dangerous situation so long astheir children remain in cribs and playpens or remain confined in aknown area behind a child gate. Another benefit of cribs, playpens, andchild gates is their ease and simplicity of operation. With many cribs,playpens, and child gates, a parent can easily place a child in orremove a child from the confined area by simply lifting the child in orout, or by operating a simple latch device to open the crib, playpen orchild gate.

However, some children thwart the significant benefits of cribs,playpens, and child gates. Some children become adept at climbing overthe railings of cribs, playpens, and child gates. This climbing is oftenexhibited by children between the ages of one and three years old. Thisclimbing allows children to escape the relative safety present withinthe otherwise confined areas provided by cribs, playpens, and childgates. Once a child has climbed over the railing of a crib, playpen, orchild gate and extricated himself or herself from the crib, playpen, orfrom behind the child gate, the child is exposed to dangeroussituations. Children exhibiting this climbing behavior often escape theconfines of their crib, playpen or child gate without their parents'knowledge.

Additionally, the climbing behavior sometimes results in similarly agedchildren climbing unsupervised onto tall chairs, tables, cabinets,shelves or other elevated areas where they are exposed to dangeroussituations.

What is needed is a means that prevents a child from climbing out ofcribs, playpens, and child gates, but at the same time allows forotherwise unrestricted mobility of the child. Additionally, the neededmeans should not require the parents of a child to perform additionaloperative steps or procedures to place their child in or out of therestricted area created by cribs, playpens or child gates.

The only prior art addressing this issue presently known to the inventoris found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,651,258 (2003) to Pelensky. Pelenskydescribes a pair of child's pants with straps shackling the child'slower legs together. Pelensky further describes using snap fasteners onthe straps allowing them to be unfastened. This configuration with snapsallows a parent to release their child's legs from the shackledconfiguration to allow increased mobility of the child when outside thecrib, playpen or child gate. Pelensky further describes placingadditional detachable fasteners on the leg of the article of clothing tosecure the straps to one leg of the pants when the straps are unshackledfrom the opposite leg. This should be done to prevent loose straps fromcreating an unsafe situation. The children's pants with straps shacklingthe lower legs together proposed by Pelensky suffer from a number ofdisadvantages:

(a) If the straps are left connected between the legs, the strapspresent tripping hazards between the legs of the child when the childattempts to walk or run.

(b) If the straps are reduced in length to prevent the straps fromdangling about the child's feet and dragging on the ground, then thelength of the straps limit and reduce the length of the child's normalstride and significantly impact each step taken by the child.

(c) If the straps are unfastened from one leg to allow for normalmobility of the child, the straps then dangle about the feet of thechild and the straps are stepped on and easily become entangled andbecome a tripping hazard when the child walks or runs.

(d) If the straps are made long enough to allow for a child to walk orrun with a normal stride, when the child engages in this normalactivity, the straps are prone to being stepped on by the child,entangled, or caught on nearby objects thereby creating a significanttripping hazard for the child.

(e) The straps impair the ability of a child to walk up or down a fewsimple stair steps.

(f) The need to unfasten the straps from the opposite leg and properlysecure the straps to a single leg in order to prevent an unsafesituation when the child is outside the crib, playpen, or child gate,places an added burden on parents. When a parent attempts to perform theotherwise simple task of placing the child in or out of a crib, playpen,or child gate, the parent must manipulate the child, the pants, thestraps and the fasteners on the straps. These added actions presentsignificant additional burdens on parents and their children, therebyundermining the simplicity of operation normally present in cribs,playpens, and child gates.

(g) When allowed to dangle on the ground, the straps quickly becomedirty and soiled with grime creating an unpleasing appearance and apotentially unhealthy condition.

(h) The straps attached to a child's pants further present an invitinghandle or tether that can be easily grasped by another child creatingyet another tripping hazard and unsafe situation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one embodiment an article of clothing for restraininga child from climbing comprising an article of clothing with two legs tocover the legs of the child, a flexible panel with a means of attachmentattaching the flexible panel between the two legs, and the location ofthe attachment being at The Crotch And extending downward along eachleg.

ADVANTAGES

Accordingly several advantages of one or more aspects are as follows: toprovide a pair of child's pants or similar child clothing with aflexible panel attached between the legs, that deters climbing andprevents a child from elevating one leg to the top of the railing of acrib, playpen, or child gate, that is not overly expensive tomanufacture, that does not require a parent to perform additionalcumbersome actions when the child is removed from or placed in the crib,playpen or child gate, that does not overly restrict the movement of thechild legs while walking, and that does not create additional hazards orexpose the child to dangerous situations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a flexible panel on an article of clothingaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of a flexible panel on another article ofclothing according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a front view of a flexible panel on another article ofclothing according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a front view of a flexible panel on another article ofclothing according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a front view of a flexible panel partially detached on anotherarticle of clothing according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a front view of a flexible panel partially detached secured toone leg on another article of clothing according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 is a front view of a flexible panel with another provision forpartially detaching the panel on another article of clothing accordingto the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a front view of the flexible panel on another article ofclothing with additional flexible panels attached at the arms accordingto the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a back perspective view of a child standing in a crib wearingan article of clothing in accordance with the present invention.

NUMBERED ITEMS

-   10. Sleeper with enclosed feet. 22. Flexible panel half-   11. Leg 23. Flexible panel half-   12. Leg 24. Flexible arm panel-   13. Flexible panel 25. Flexible arm panel-   14. Sewn attachment 26. Attachment arm to panel-   15. Crotch 27. Attachment body to panel-   16. Enclosed feet 28. Open attachment device half-   17. Pair of pants 29. Arm-   18. Extension of leg material attachment 30. Sleeper without    enclosed feet-   19. Row of snaps or hook and loop material 31. Crib railing-   20. Zipper 32. Crib mattress-   21. Open zipper half

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an anti-climbing flexible panel attached to anarticle of clothing made for a child. The flexible panel is incorporatedinto the article of clothing. The article of clothing with a flexiblepanel aids in preventing a child from climbing over the railing of acrib, playpen, or child gate. One embodiment of the present invention isillustrated in FIG. 1. The article of clothing in FIG. 1 is commonlyknown as a one piece sleeper or jumper. The sleeper includes two legsshown as one leg 11 and another leg 12. The sleeper in FIG. 1 includesenclosed feet 16. This sleeper with enclosed feet 10 is a common articleof clothing for a child, and there are many well known designs for thistype of clothing that will work well for incorporating in the presentinvention. The article of clothing in FIGS. 1-7 is commonly known as apair of pants 17, for which there are numerous well known readilyavailable designs that will work well for incorporating the presentinvention. Each pair of pants illustrated in FIGS. 1-7 include two legsshown as leg 11 and leg 12. FIGS. 1-7 illustrate additional embodimentsof the present invention including the flexible panel 13 attachedbetween the leg 11 and leg 12 of the pair of pants 17. FIG. 8illustrates a sleeper without feet 18 as the article of clothingincorporating the present invention. The embodiment illustrated in FIG.8 includes a flexible panel 23 attached between the legs, and a flexiblepanel 24 and flexible panel 25 attached to the arms 29 of the sleeperwithout feet 30. FIG. 9 illustrates a back view of a child standing in acrib attempting to lift one leg while wearing a sleeper with enclosedfeet 10 incorporating the present invention.

FIG. 1 First Embodiment

FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of a sleeper with enclosed feet 10incorporating the present invention. The sleeper with enclosed feet 10includes two legs labeled as leg 11 and leg 12. The point at the upperend of the two legs where the two legs meet is called the crotch 15. Aflexible panel 13 is attached to the sleeper with enclosed feet 10. Asshown in FIG. 1, the flexible panel 13 is positioned between leg 11 andleg 12. The flexible panel 13 is located in contact with and spanningbetween leg 11 and leg 12. The flexible panel 13 is positioned at theupper end of the legs in contact with the crotch 15 and extendingdownward toward the lower end of the legs a predetermined distance alongleg 11 and leg 12. The attachment means connecting the flexible panel 13to leg 11 and leg 12 is located along the edges of the flexible panel 13where the flexible panel 13 contacts leg 11 and leg 12. This position ofthe flexible panel 13 and the location of the attachment means arecommon to all embodiments. The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 includesa sewn attachment 14 as the attachment means connecting the flexiblepanel 13 to leg 11 and leg 12. The sewn attachment 14 runs from thecrotch 15 and continues downward toward the lower end of both leg 11 andleg 12 and the sewn attachment 14 terminating at the lower edge of theflexible panel 13.

FIGS. 2-7 Additional Embodiments

FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of a pair of pants 17 incorporatinganother embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, the pair ofpants 17 includes two legs illustrated as leg 11 and leg 12. Theposition of flexible panel 13 is the same as described in the detaileddescription of FIG. 1 above. This embodiment utilizes the same sewnattachment 14 between leg 12 and flexible panel 13 as described in thedetailed description of FIG. 1 above. However, this embodiment utilizesan extension of leg material attachment 18 as the attachment meansconnecting flexible panel 13 to leg 11. The flexible panel 13illustrated in FIG. 2 is located between leg 11 and leg 12 in the sameposition as illustrated in FIG. 1 and described above. Also, thelocation of the attachment means connecting flexible panel 13 to leg 11and to leg 12 are located is in the same position as illustrated in FIG.1 and described above. The attachment means connecting the flexiblepanel 13 to leg 11 illustrated in FIG. 2 is created when cutting theshape of the covering material of leg 11. The leg 11 material is shapedsuch that flexible panel 13 and the front of leg 11 are created from asingle piece of uninterrupted material with flexible panel 13 positionedas a continuous extension of the covering material of leg 11. Theextension of leg material attachment 18 is created by this same shapingof the leg 11 material to include flexible panel 13 as a continuousextension of the leg material. To complete this extension of legmaterial attachment 18, when assembling the pair of pants, the materialmaking up the back of a leg 11 is sewn to the material making up thefront of leg 11 to enclose leg 11 along the inseam location as wouldcommonly be done in a typical pair of pants. However, the flexible panel13 extending from the leg 11 covering material is positioned such thatflexible panel 13 extends from the inseam toward leg 12.

FIG. 3 illustrates a front view of a pair of pants 17 incorporatinganother embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3, the pair ofpants 17 includes two legs illustrated as leg 11 and leg 12. Theposition of flexible panel 13 is the same as described in the detaileddescription of FIG. 1 above. This embodiment utilizes the same sewnattachment 14 between leg 12 and flexible panel 13 as described in thedetailed description of FIG. 1 above. The embodiment illustrated in FIG.3 includes a row of detachable fasteners as the attachment meansconnecting flexible panel 13 to leg 11. The inventor believes that a rowof snap fasteners will be one type of detachable fastener among manythat may be used in embodiments that include detachable fasteners as theattachment means connecting flexible panel 13 to one or both legs of thearticle of clothing. Other embodiments will include a row of hook andloop detachable fastener material, sometimes called hook and piledetachable fastener material, as the attachment means connectingflexible panel 13 to one or both legs. Other embodiments will includezippers as a detachable fastener attaching flexible panel 13 to one orboth legs. The figures and descriptions included with this applicationshould be considered as a sampling of the numerous different attachmentmeans and many different specific orientations and combinations ofattachment means that may be utilized to connect flexible panel 13 tothe legs of the article of clothing.

FIG. 4 illustrates a front view of a pair of pants 17 incorporatinganother embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 4, the pair ofpants 17 includes two legs illustrated as leg 11 and leg 12. Theposition of flexible panel 13 is the same as described in the detaileddescription of FIG. 1 above. This embodiment utilizes the same extensionof leg material attachment 18 between leg 11 and flexible panel 13 asdescribed in the detailed description of FIG. 2 above. The embodimentillustrated in FIG. 4 includes a zipper 20 as the attachment meansconnecting flexible panel 13 to leg 12. Like the row of snaps 19illustrated in FIG. 3, zipper 20 in FIG. 4 provides a detachablefastener as the attachment means connecting flexible panel 13 to leg 12.

FIG. 5 illustrates a front view of a pair of pants 17 incorporating thesame embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in FIG. 4. FIG.5 illustrates the zipper in its open position with one half zipper 21the attached to leg 12 and the other half zipper 21 attached to flexiblepanel 13. In FIG. 5, flexible panel 13 is illustrated as folded awayfrom leg 12 over top of the attachment means connecting flexible panel13 to leg 11 concealing that connection from view in FIG. 5.

FIG. 6 illustrates a front view of a pair of pants 17 incorporating thesame embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in FIGS. 4-5.FIG. 6 illustrates the zipper in its open position with one half zipper21 the attached to leg 12 and the other half zipper 21 attached toflexible panel 13. In FIG. 6, flexible panel 13 is illustrated as foldedaway from leg 12 over top of the attachment means connecting flexiblepanel 13 to leg 11 and neatly wrapped around leg 11. In thisconfiguration, detachable fasteners may be used to retain the detachededge of a flexible panel 13 to leg 11 and thereby securing flexiblepanel 13 around leg 11 while flexible panel 13 is in the detachedconfiguration.

FIG. 7 illustrates a front view of a pair of pants 17 incorporatinganother embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 7, the pair ofpants 17 includes two legs illustrated as leg 11 and leg 12. In thisembodiment the flexible panel is configured from two flexible panelsconnected together with detachable fasteners. Half flexible panel 22 isconnected to leg 11 with a sewn connection 14 and half flexible panel 23is connected to leg 12 with a sewn connection 14. In this embodimenthalf flexible panel 22 is detachably fastened to half flexible panel 23with a zipper extending from the crotch downward, dividing the flexiblepanel into two pieces. The inventor envisions that in other embodimentsof the two-piece flexible panel, the detachable fasteners used toconnect the two flexible panels will include a row of snaps, a row ofhook and loop fastener material, and other kinds of detachablefasteners.

FIG. 8 Alternative Embodiments

FIG. 8 illustrates a front view of a sleeper without enclosed feet 30incorporating the present invention. The sleeper without enclosed feet30 includes two legs labeled as leg 11 and leg 12. In this embodiment,flexible panel 13 is attached to the sleeper without enclosed feet 30 inthe same location and the same sewn connection attachment means as 10.The sleeper without enclosed feet 30 includes two arms, both labeled asarm 29. A flexible panel 24 is attached between one arm 29 and the bodyof sleeper without enclosed feet 30 in a configuration similar toflexible panel 13 connected between the legs. The other arm 29 similarlyhas a flexible panel connected to arm 29 and the body of the sleeperwithout enclosed feet 30. Flexible panel 24 is illustrated with theattachment means connecting flexible panel 24 to arm 29 as a sewnconnection 26. The attachment means connecting flexible panel 24 to thebody of the sleeper without enclosed feet 30 is illustrated as adetachable attachment 27. In this embodiment, flexible panel 25 isattached to sleeve 29 with a sewn connection, and flexible panel 25 isattached to the body of the sleeper without covered feet 30 with adetachable attachment 28. The detachable attachment connecting flexiblepanel 25 to the body of the sleeper without enclosed feet 30 isillustrated in a detached configuration with a flexible panel 25 wrappedaround sleeve 29.

Additional Details:

FIG. 9 is a back view of a child wearing one embodiment of the presentinvention. The child is standing in a crib grasping the crib railing 13and lifting his leg above the crib mattress 32 in an attempt to climbover the crib railing 31. The article of clothing worn by the child isan embodiment with flexible panel 13 incorporated in a sleeper withenclosed feet 10.

There are numerous materials that are acceptable to make the flexiblepanel in the present invention. Most fabrics that are acceptable for usein child sleepwear are also acceptable materials from which to make theflexible panel. These fabrics are available in many different weightsand many different weaves and knits. The inventor envisions that in mostembodiments the flexible panel will be made from 100% cotton clothfabrics matching the fabrics most often used to manufacture child'ssleepwear. These cotton fabrics are available in a great variety ofweights and many different weaves and knits. The inventor also envisionsother embodiments in which the flexible panel is made from fabrics madeof other natural fiber, fabrics made of synthetic fibers, or fabricsmade of various blends of natural and/or synthetic fibers. The flexiblepanel may also be made with multiple layers or a single layer of fabricor other flexible material.

Operation:

When a child climbs over the railing of a crib, playpen or child gate,the child consistently begins the climb by standing on one leg whilebracing him or herself by grasping the railing or a nearby headboard,wall or other convenient handhold. The child then stands on one leg,leans far to the side and extends the other leg far into the air untilthe lifted leg is high enough for the child's foot to hook over the topof the railing. The flexible panel attached to the legs of the articleof clothing act together to limit the height the child can lift his orher leg. Through experimentation the inventor has determined thatlimiting the height that the leg can be lifted to about the height ofthe waste of the child is adequate to deter the child from hooking theelevated foot over the railing of a typical crib, play pen or childgate.

Using FIG. 1 for illustrative purposes, leg 11 and leg 12 cover the legsof the child. As explained above, the flexible panel 13 is connectedalong one edge to leg 11 and flexible panel 13 is connected along theother edge to leg 12. When the child is standing up right flexible panel13 hangs in a slacked state suspended from the connected edges. When achild wearing the article of clothing leans to the side standing on oneleg 11 and raising the other leg 12, leg 11 and leg 12 angle away fromeach other, the slack previously existing in flexible panel 13 becomestight. As the child attempts to lift the other leg 12 higher into theair, tension in flexible panel 13 increases and flexible panel 13transfers this tension to leg 11 and leg 12 which are connected directlyto and operate in conjunction with flexible panel 13. Leg 11 and leg 12surround each of the child's legs, and the tension in leg 11 and leg 12is transferred to the legs of the child, resisting in deterring thechild efforts to further spread the legs apart. With the distance thatthe two legs can be spread limited in this fashion, the child's effortsto hook one foot over the railing are thwarted and child's unwelcomedescape from the crib, playpen, or child gate is prevented.

The dimensions of the flexible panel affect how well an embodimentperforms in deterring the child from climbing. The dimensions of theflexible panel needed for acceptable operation depend upon the multiplefactors that are often inter-related. The elasticity of the materialused in the article of child clothing and material used in the flexiblepanel is a substantial factor. Materials that easily stretch withoutmuch force will tend to require a flexible panel that extends fartherdownward along the legs of the article of clothing, and will tend torequire a narrower flexible panel to increase the amount of resistanceand adequately limit the distance a child can spread the legs. Theorientation of many fabrics also affects their elasticity. For example,some woven fabrics will have significantly greater elasticity,stretching significantly farther and with less resistance when stretcheddiagonally to the weave of fabric, and yet, if the same fabric isstretched in line with the weave of the fabric, the fabric exhibit amuch higher resistance to stretching. The weave or knit of the fabricand the fiber also affect the force needed to stretch the fabric and thedistance the fabric will stretch. The strength of a child and thedimensions of the legs of a child also impact the dimensions of aflexible panel needed to adequately deter climbing behavior. The designof the article of clothing and whether or not the article of clothingincludes covered feet also appear to impact the dimensions of a flexiblepanel needed to adequately deter climbing. As a result, the inventorconducted experimentation with children wearing the present inventionconstructed of the specific materials and designs to be used in makingthe article of clothing with various sized flexible panels currentlyenvisioned in order to determine the required dimensions of the flexiblepanel.

The shape of the flexible panel 13 as depicted in FIGS. 1-9 approximatesa triangular shape. However, the precise shape of the flexible panel isnot critical to the invention. The flexible panel 13 can be maderectangular or rounded in shape or other different shapes so long asflexible panel 13 is shaped such that the attached edges can becontoured to follow the contour of the legs and crotch area whereflexible panel 13 is attached.

Connecting flexible panel 13 to leg 11 and leg 12 with a continuousconnection located at the crotch and continuing along the edges whereflexible panel 13 contacts leg 11 and leg 12 serves several functions.Having the flexible panel attached to each leg over a relatively lengthyconnection running along both legs and through the crotch 15 restrainsflexible panel 13 in its position located relatively high off the groundin the upper portion of the leg. Even when slack, flexible panel 13 doesnot sag to the ground when a child walks runs or stands in a normalfashion. This continuous connection provides a curtain like suspensionof the flexible panel when slack, which allows the embodiment to betterperform in a slackened state. Suspended in this fashion, the flexiblepanel does not dangle on the ground about the feet of the child andcreate tripping and entanglement hazards during normal activities of thechild.

From experimentation, the inventor has determined that the dimensions offlexible panel 13 that appear to most impact the effectiveness of anembodiment are the height and width of flexible panel 13 measured asfollows: The height dimension of flexible panel 13 is measured as thelength of the attachment means connecting flexible panel 13 to the legs,measured from the crotch downward along either leg to the lower and ofthe attachment means connecting the flexible panel 13 to the leg 11 orleg 12. The width dimension of the flexible panel is measured acrossflexible panel 13 from one leg 11 to the other leg 12. This width ismeasured at the lower ends of the attachment means connecting flexiblepanel 13 to leg 11 and to leg 12. The inventor currently believes that aflexible panel measuring 10 centimeters in height is of minimaleffectiveness. The embodiments currently favored by the inventor,include flexible panel 13 heights of 12 centimeters or greater. Theinventor currently expects that most embodiments planned to be producedwill include a flexible panel 13 height of 12 to 18 centimeters.

The width dimension of the flexible panel measured as explained abovefor the embodiments currently favored by the inventor is expected to beless than 20 centimeters. The inventor currently believes that the mostfavorable performance of current embodiments will occur when the widthdimension of flexible panel 13 is made equal to the height dimension offlexible panel 13. However, this current belief is based on theinventor's experimentation with prototypes using the materials anddesigns that the inventor expects to be most popular. The inventorexpects that with other articles of clothing designs different than theexpected popular design, flexible panels of different dimensions will beneeded to optimize the effectiveness of these other articles of clothingwhich the inventor expects will be tested and produced in the future.These expected alternative dimensions will be determined throughexperimentation on the particular additional embodiments as they becomeknown.

Experimentation by the inventor also demonstrates that precisepositioning of the flexible panel locating the flexible panel centeredfront to back between the legs is not required. The positioning of thepanel closer to the front of the article of clothing or closer to theback of the article of clothing appears to have minimal impact on theeffectiveness of an embodiment when compared to a flexible panel ofsimilar dimensions carefully located between the legs precisely centeredfront to back on the article of clothing. Accordingly, the flexiblepanel may be positioned toward the front or the back of the article ofclothing so long as the flexible panel is located between the legs.

The use of detachable fasteners included in some embodiments is intendedto provide additional versatility in some embodiments. Detachablefasteners address potential interferences that may occur between anembodiment and some child equipment. For example, some child high chairsand some car seats have a safety belt like strap or a structural postthat extends between the legs of the child to hold the child secure inthe car seat or highchair. In some embodiments the flexible panellocated between the legs may interfere with a car seat or high chair ofthe style described. In these circumstances, detachable fasteners asshown in FIGS. 3-7 can be detached to eliminate the interference whenthe child is placed in an otherwise interfering child equipment.Additionally, with embodiments that include detachable fasteners on bothattached edges of the flexible panel, the flexible panel can beoptionally be remove completely from the article of clothing if theparent so desires. It is expected that some parents will desire to usedetachable fasteners for other useful reasons not yet discovered.

Advantages

From the description of, the number of advantages of some embodiments ofthe inventor's Anti-Climbing Flexible Panel on an Article of ChildClothing become evident:

-   -   (a) The present invention deters a child from climbing and        prevents the child from elevating one leg to the top of the        railing of a crib, playpen, or child gate.    -   (b) The present invention is not overly expensive to        manufacture.    -   (c) The present invention does not require a parent to perform        additional cumbersome actions to operate.    -   (d) The present invention does not overly restrict the movement        of the child's legs while walking.    -   (e) The present invention allows a child to use a full and        normal stride while walking.    -   (f) The present invention does not dangle about the feet of the        child.    -   (g) The present invention does not become entangled.    -   (h) The present invention does not present a tripping hazard,        include parts that are prone to being stepped on and tangled or        caught on nearby objects when the child is walking.    -   (i) The present invention allows the child to walk up and down        stair steps.    -   (j) The present invention does not have attached parts that are        prone to being stepped on by the child.    -   (k) The present invention allows the parent to easily move the        child in or out of a crib, playpen, or child gate without having        to manipulate fasteners and without having to attach or remove        parts from the article of clothing.    -   (l) The present invention does not have parts that drag along        the ground,    -   (m) The present invention does not have attachments or        appendages that invite other children to grab.    -   (n) The present invention with its flexible panel attached        toward the offer and of the legs creates less of a tripping        hazard than straps attached connected at the lower and of the        legs.

Accordingly, the reader will see that the anti-climbing flexible panelon an article of child clothing of the various embodiments provides adeterrent to a child climbing out of a crib, playpen, or child gate,without placing additional cumbersome burdens on the parents.Additionally, the addition of the flexible panel to the article of childclothing creates only minimal if any restrictions to the child's normalactivity and is not result in creating entanglements and trippinghazards about the feet of the child.

Although the description above contains many specifics, these should notbe construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments but as merelyproviding illustrations of some of the several embodiments. For example,the various attachment means connecting the flexible panel to the legsdescribed above can be used in differing combinations, reversed to theback side of the article of clothing, placed on the opposite legs, etc.

Thus the scope of the embodiments should be determined by the appendedclaims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.

I claim:
 1. An article of clothing for restraining a child fromclimbing, comprising: a. an article of clothing; b. two legs as part ofsaid article of clothing to cover the legs of the child, said two legseach having an upper end and a lower end, and said article of clothinghaving a crotch located where said two legs meet at said upper end ofsaid two legs; c. a flexible panel as part of said article of clothing,said flexible panel located at the upper end of and between said twolegs; d. at least one attachment means connecting said flexible panel toeach of said two legs.
 2. The article of clothing of claim 1, whereinsaid flexible panel is made of fabric.
 3. The article of clothing ofclaim 1, a. wherein said flexible panel has only three perimeter edges;b. and wherein two of said three perimeter edges are connected perimeteredges and the other of said three perimeter edges is a free perimeteredge; c. and wherein said two connected perimeter edges are connected bysaid at least one attachment means to said two legs of said article ofclothing; c. and wherein the third of said three perimeter edges is notconnected by said attachment means to said two legs of said article ofclothing; d. and wherein said flexible panel located at the upper end ofand between said two legs is positioned such that the first of said twoconnected perimeter edges is located beginning at the crotch andextending in contact with and along one of said two legs of said articleof clothing a predetermined distance from said crotch toward said lowerend of said one of said two legs; e. and wherein the said first of saidtwo connected perimeter edges is connected to said one of said two legsof said article of clothing along the full length of said first of saidtwo connected perimeter edges of said flexible panel by said at leastone attachment means connecting said flexible panel to each of said twolegs; f. and wherein said flexible panel located at the upper end of andbetween said two legs is positioned such that the second of said twoconnected perimeter edges is located in contact with the other of saidtwo legs of said article of clothing beginning at the crotch of saidarticle of clothing and extending in contact with and along the other ofsaid two legs of said article of clothing a predetermined distance fromsaid crotch toward said lower end of said other of said two legs of saidarticle of clothing; g. and wherein the said second of said twoconnected perimeter edges is connected to said other of said two legs ofsaid article of clothing along the full length of said other of said twoconnected perimeter edges of said flexible panel by said at least oneattachment means connecting said flexible panel to each of said twolegs; h. and wherein said free perimeter edge spans between said twolegs of said article of clothing and is located with one end of saidfree perimeter edge adjacent to the end of one of said two connectedperimeter edges located toward said lower end of said legs and with theother end of said free perimeter edge located adjacent to end of theother of said two connected perimeter edges located toward the lower endof said legs. i. and wherein each said two connected perimeter edges ofsaid flexible panel are connected to said legs over a distance greaterthan 10 centimeters.
 4. The article of clothing of claim 3, wherein saidflexible panel is made of fabric.
 5. The article of clothing of claim 3,wherein said at least one attachment means connecting said flexiblepanel to one of said two legs is a sewn connection, and wherein said atleast one attachment means connecting said flexible panel to the otherof said two legs is a sewn connection.
 6. The article of clothing ofclaim 5, wherein said flexible panel is made of fabric.
 7. The articleof clothing of claim 5, wherein said flexible panel includes twoseparate panels with said flexible panel divided into said two separatepanels along the line extending from a point located along the freeperimeter edge of said flexible panel two a point adjacent to saidcrotch of said article of clothing, and wherein said two separate panelsof said flexible panel are connected to each other by a detachableattachment means selected from the group consisting of a zipper, a rowof snap fasteners, and a row of hook and loop fasteners.
 8. The articleof clothing of claim 7, wherein said flexible panel is made of fabric.9. The article of clothing of claim 3, wherein said at least oneattachment means connecting said flexible panel to one of said two legsis a sewn connection, and wherein said at least one attachment meansconnecting said flexible panel to the other of said two legs is adetachable attachment means selected from the group consisting of azipper, a row of snap fasteners, and a row of hook and loop fasteners.10. The article of clothing of claim 9, wherein said flexible panel ismade of fabric.
 11. The article of clothing of claim 3, wherein said atleast one attachment means connecting said flexible panel to one of saidtwo legs is a detachable attachment means selected from the groupconsisting of a zipper, a row of snap fasteners, and a row of hook andloop fasteners; and wherein said at least one attachment meansconnecting said flexible panel to the other of said two legs is adetachable attachment means selected from the group consisting of azipper, a row of snap fasteners, and a row of hook and loop fasteners.12. The article of clothing of claim 11, wherein said flexible panel ismade of fabric.
 13. The article of clothing of claim 3, wherein said atleast one attachment means connecting said flexible panel to each ofsaid two legs is a single detachable attachment means selected from thegroup consisting of a zipper, a row of snap fasteners, and a row of hookand loop fasteners.
 14. The article of clothing of claim 13, whereinsaid flexible panel is made of fabric.
 15. The article of clothing ofclaim 1, wherein said article of clothing includes a body to cover thebody of the child and two sleeves to cover the arms of the child, andwherein a second flexible panel is located between one of said sleevesand said body of said article of clothing, and wherein said a thirdflexible panel located between the other of said sleeves and said bodyof said article of clothing, and wherein said second flexible panel isconnected to said one of said sleeves and connected to said body of saidarticle of clothing, and wherein said the third flexible panel isconnected to said other of said sleeves and connected to said body ofsaid article of clothing, and wherein each of said connections betweensaid sleeves of said second and third flexible panels and between saidbody and said second and third flexible panels is an attachment meansselected from the group consisting of a sewn connection, a zipper, a rowof snap fasteners, and a row of hook and loop fasteners.